St Andrew’s opens 'Little Angels' play group

St Andrew's, Dearnley and Smithy Bridge

Councillor Ashley Dearnley, a regular worshipper at St Andrew's, will officially open our new 'Little Angels' play group on Monday morning (13 January) at 9.30am.

The group will cater for children aged five and under, with their Mums, Dads and carers, and will run each Monday in the newly extended and refurbished parish room, from 9.30am to 11,30am.

There will be a nominal charge of £2 per family as opposed to £2 per child.

The sessions will include play time, music time and, on an occasional basis, such things as cake making and even learning the rudiments of sign language, all designed for the under-5s.

Chrissie, the organiser, can be contacted on 07763 749 452 for further information or just turn up for 9.30am on Monday morning and see your child become a 'Little Angel' from day one.

On Saturday afternoon (11 January) at 1.00pm in church, we have a memorial service for one of our regular worshippers, Maureen Trayers, who sadly passed away while on holiday in Spain at the end of November.

Her funeral was held over there, but this weekend her many friends at St Andrew's will have the chance to celebrate her life and to say their farewells.

Our vicar, the Rev Sharon Jones, has asked that as many parishioners as possible turn up to celebrate Maureen's life in the place that had become such a big part of that life.

We have our usual Sung Eucharist at 9.30am on Sunday when the parish rota is as follows: lay assistants, J Mills, H Walker; readers, C Longhurst, C Longhurst; Intercessions, S Knight; sidespersons, V Lucy, P Webster; refreshments, Ada, Gillian K, Pam P.

Our 2014 Bible Challenge is now up and running, but it's not too late to join. Bookmarks and further details can be obtained from Mike, our curate.

Our 9.30am Sung Eucharist on Sunday week (January 19) will be highlighted by the licensing as a Reader at St Andrew's of Wendy Foote by the Rev Canon Chris Bracegirdle.

Wendy was a Licensed Reader at St James The Less in Bethnal Green, London before she moved north to Littleborough nearly two years ago.

The Rev Bracegirdle, who is chaplain to the Bishop and warden of Readers, will formally transfer Wendy's licence from the stewardship of the Rev Alexandra Logan at Bethnal Green to that of the Rev Canon Sharon Jones at Dearnley.